The invention may advantageously be utilized with the type of furniture known as lawn or patio furniture, including chairs, chaise longues and the like. It has been customary to mold such chairs out of synthetic resin such as polypropylene. Most prior chairs are usually molded in one piece, but the required molds are not only large, heavy and unwieldy, but also very expensive. Moreover, shipping the one-piece chairs is laborious and expensive.
The present invention provides lightweight plastic slats detachably connected and interlocked at their ends to laterally spaced opposed side rails. Prior detachable joints between plastic parts have been difficult for the ordinary user to attach and detach in addition to being difficult and expensive to mold. Also, such joints are prone to become unsecured under stress.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved chair having side rails with transverse slats detachably connected at their ends to the side rails for easy assembly and, if desired, disassembly.
Another object is to provide a novel and improved chair having transverse slats resiliently interlocked with the side rails by a snap-in action.
A further object is to provide an improved detachable joint having novel interfitting plug and socket elements connecting the slats and side rails, which joint is economically and easily molded.
A still further object is to provide a novel and improved chair having parts which are inexpensive to mold and transport and readily assembled and disassembled by the ultimate user without the use of tools or separate fasteners.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved chair in which the side rails are molded separately from the slats and therefore may be made of different materials.
These and other objects are accomplished by the improved parts, constructions and methods comprising the present invention, preferred embodiments of which are disclosed in the drawings and description hereof as being the best known mode of carrying out the invention. Various modifications and changes in details of construction are comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.